This reflexive pronoun is the best fit because it needs to agree with the antecedent--in this case "scholars". Because scholars is plural, the pronoun also needs to be plural. Themselves is a plural reflexive pronoun, so it will properly complete the sentence.
It’s saying the sea “licked greedy lips” the Sea doesn’t have lips so it’s a type of personification because it’s giving a non living thing humanistic characters.
